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Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
Sanity check please!
- Thread starter NutmegCT
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OP
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Hey Keith - thanks for asking. I spent six months looking for a "rolling wreck" - something that was on the road, but looked bad. Figured I could do my big cross country drive in something that looked as bad as me, but was still chugging along. After lots of bogus ads, and some actually decent cars, I settled on this one, which I test drove before I bought it in upstate New York, November of last year. Engine started and ran fine then, altho' the idle was "lumpy"; only problem I noticed was the left front brake seemed too tight (car pulled to left when brake was applied).
When the shipper delivered the car to me, I cranked it up. Took a couple tries, but started and backed it off the trailer. Parked it, paid the driver, then had trouble starting it again. Neighbor and I pushed it down the driveway. Spent a month troubleshooting (fuel system, ignition, carb, etc.). The last thing I did back then was to replace the condenser. When I did that, I noticed the stud on the distributor (where the condenser connects) was loose. Tightened it up - and gol' dern it - the engine started up perfectly. Idled, rev'd up, drove down the driveway (I haven't registered it yet).
Cleaned and rebuilt the carb about a month ago, as engine was slow to accelerate and coughed when cold. Also checked timing (nearly perfect), valves (set to spec), and various other improvements.
Due to weather and work, I didn't touch the car for about 3 weeks. Very cold and damp weather. I always keep the car on battery maintainer. After I cleaned up from the massive blizzard of a few weeks ago, I took time to check the car. Would start but would die immediately. First thing I checked was that distributor stud - but it was tight.
That brings us to the last couple weeks. Talk about frustrating. Car was doing pretty well until I bought it. Downhill ever since - sounds like me!
Thanks.
Tom
When the shipper delivered the car to me, I cranked it up. Took a couple tries, but started and backed it off the trailer. Parked it, paid the driver, then had trouble starting it again. Neighbor and I pushed it down the driveway. Spent a month troubleshooting (fuel system, ignition, carb, etc.). The last thing I did back then was to replace the condenser. When I did that, I noticed the stud on the distributor (where the condenser connects) was loose. Tightened it up - and gol' dern it - the engine started up perfectly. Idled, rev'd up, drove down the driveway (I haven't registered it yet).
Cleaned and rebuilt the carb about a month ago, as engine was slow to accelerate and coughed when cold. Also checked timing (nearly perfect), valves (set to spec), and various other improvements.
Due to weather and work, I didn't touch the car for about 3 weeks. Very cold and damp weather. I always keep the car on battery maintainer. After I cleaned up from the massive blizzard of a few weeks ago, I took time to check the car. Would start but would die immediately. First thing I checked was that distributor stud - but it was tight.
That brings us to the last couple weeks. Talk about frustrating. Car was doing pretty well until I bought it. Downhill ever since - sounds like me!
Thanks.
Tom
Keith_M
Jedi Knight
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That's some useful history. So the problems have started with the cold, wet weather, right?
Could it be:
1. Old gas, or water condensed in the gas? In my experience old gas will often run OK in warm weather but not in cold weather. Water condensed in the gas is always bad. How long has the gas been in the tank?
2. damp components in the electrical system?
Of the two, I'm leaning towards the first just because you said you have spark at the plugs. Of course draining the tank is no fun...
Keith
Could it be:
1. Old gas, or water condensed in the gas? In my experience old gas will often run OK in warm weather but not in cold weather. Water condensed in the gas is always bad. How long has the gas been in the tank?
2. damp components in the electrical system?
Of the two, I'm leaning towards the first just because you said you have spark at the plugs. Of course draining the tank is no fun...
Keith
Keith_M
Jedi Knight
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If the gas worked in your snow blower, I would think it should work in the car, but who knows? How long was the gas in the gas can?
I think there are kits that you can buy to test for water in gas, but I don't know anything about them or other ways to test. Sorry, not much help.
Keith
I think there are kits that you can buy to test for water in gas, but I don't know anything about them or other ways to test. Sorry, not much help.
Keith
D
Deleted member 8987
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Sorry. Had to tend with something I didn't want to know about. Tore a backyard railroad out today, all the way, and stacked.
Guy I've know for 33 years, Shop Foreman in the first independent shop I worked in, called. 11 days ago he went to the doctor for prep for back surgery, which he has had before.
Doctor came out and said, you're done.
3-6 months. Spine, hip, metastasized all over.
Let me think on this one for a bit.
Guy I've know for 33 years, Shop Foreman in the first independent shop I worked in, called. 11 days ago he went to the doctor for prep for back surgery, which he has had before.
Doctor came out and said, you're done.
3-6 months. Spine, hip, metastasized all over.
Let me think on this one for a bit.
Online
Tom-I've been following this thread waiting for the happy conclusion. I do have one question... have you replaced the fuel filter?
Sorry to ask in case you have posted about it prior.
Sorry to ask in case you have posted about it prior.
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Shouldn't matter. The condenser sees both polarities in operation anyway, so it has to be a design that is not polarity-sensitive (aka non-polar).
Maybe it's time to start checking fundamental timing relationships? Eg verify that the TDC mark matches the piston position, and the cylinder at TDC between compression and power is the one getting the spark? I don't know anything about your MB engine, but I recall a buddy that had a key shear in the drive to the camshaft on his Alfa with all sorts of strange effects. Apparently, the broken key would sometimes snag the slot and run the engine for a few seconds, then slip again. Took a fair amount of head scratching before he realized that the spark didn't always match the TDC mark.
OP
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Thanks Elliot. I haven't changed the filter since January. The previous filter was actually pretty clean - no rust or crud - but I replaced it anyway. Simple paper cartridge.
But I haven't even checked the filter since this new problem started several weeks ago. Good point. I'll do that tomorrow.
Tom
But I haven't even checked the filter since this new problem started several weeks ago. Good point. I'll do that tomorrow.
Tom
OP
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Randall - sorry, my bad. I added several gallons of fuel to the tank, but never drained the tank, as the fuel filter was always clean.
Another thing I'll try tomorrow - open the top of the tank (easy to do), and look down inside. Access to the sender is via a big plug in the tank's top, which is right under the mat in the trunk. That's when I'll siphon up a sample.
T.
Another thing I'll try tomorrow - open the top of the tank (easy to do), and look down inside. Access to the sender is via a big plug in the tank's top, which is right under the mat in the trunk. That's when I'll siphon up a sample.
T.
OP
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I should also report - when I got the new condenser, I immediately did the "DVOM test". Exactly the same result as the other auto condensers. Needle barely moved, regardless of resistance setting.
Today I'll come back from work early and sample the fuel.
Onward through the fog!
Tom
Today I'll come back from work early and sample the fuel.
Onward through the fog!
Tom
OP
Offline
Here's the report.
Fuel looks fine to me.
View attachment 26162
The fuel is running through an engine with: new plugs, new points, new rotor, new condenser, new coil, cleaned and rebuilt carb, correct timing, correct valve setting.
I did a battery load test and found it just on the edge of "weak". So I put a known good 12v car battery in parallel, and tried to start. No difference. Tho' I have to say the horn sounds weak. Still getting spark - but maybe not enough oomph? Battery always on maintainer except when I'm working on the car.
This photo may spur someone's brain to an AHA! moment:
View attachment 26163
Last time the engine actually started and ran for a few seconds (a few days ago), exhaust left this ring on the wall. Not a solid black sooty patch - but a strange (to me) dark grey ring with a light brown center.
Tom (a/k/a paranoid frustrated non compos mentis)
Fuel looks fine to me.
View attachment 26162
The fuel is running through an engine with: new plugs, new points, new rotor, new condenser, new coil, cleaned and rebuilt carb, correct timing, correct valve setting.
I did a battery load test and found it just on the edge of "weak". So I put a known good 12v car battery in parallel, and tried to start. No difference. Tho' I have to say the horn sounds weak. Still getting spark - but maybe not enough oomph? Battery always on maintainer except when I'm working on the car.
This photo may spur someone's brain to an AHA! moment:
View attachment 26163
Last time the engine actually started and ran for a few seconds (a few days ago), exhaust left this ring on the wall. Not a solid black sooty patch - but a strange (to me) dark grey ring with a light brown center.
Tom (a/k/a paranoid frustrated non compos mentis)
Online
Have you tried bypassing the ignition switch?
OP
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Last time engine fired, I checked the plugs. they were dry and slightly grey, with some black soot at the bottom of the threads.
hot wired from battery to coil; turned on ignition; cranked - no change.
(also wondering how to tell if the plugs are firing *strongly enough*)
Are we having fun yet ...
hot wired from battery to coil; turned on ignition; cranked - no change.
(also wondering how to tell if the plugs are firing *strongly enough*)
Are we having fun yet ...
OP
Offline
Wednesday noon update:
Drained and cleaned carb fuel bowl. Filled with premium fuel I just bought an hour before. Ran fuel line into bucket so no "old" fuel would enter bowl. No change whatever. Still won't fire at all. Made sure fuel was getting to throat, repeated a couple times, no luck.
Checked the battery this morning. Shows about 13v after being on the maintainer over night.
When I tried starting the engine at noon for the fuel test, it cranked perfectly - but after a few seconds, starter suddenly slowed its rpm's by about 30%. Not a gradual slowdown - but all at once. Checked all wires and cables; engine ground strap is fine. I did a battery load test right afterward and found the load meter said "weak". Is that normal for just after cranking about ten seconds?
On a less dismal note, we had about 30 minutes of sun this morning, between the snow/drizzle/fog of the last two weeks, and the upcoming 3 day blizzard starting this afternoon.
As Eric Idle once said, "Always look on the bright side of life!"
T.
Drained and cleaned carb fuel bowl. Filled with premium fuel I just bought an hour before. Ran fuel line into bucket so no "old" fuel would enter bowl. No change whatever. Still won't fire at all. Made sure fuel was getting to throat, repeated a couple times, no luck.
Checked the battery this morning. Shows about 13v after being on the maintainer over night.
When I tried starting the engine at noon for the fuel test, it cranked perfectly - but after a few seconds, starter suddenly slowed its rpm's by about 30%. Not a gradual slowdown - but all at once. Checked all wires and cables; engine ground strap is fine. I did a battery load test right afterward and found the load meter said "weak". Is that normal for just after cranking about ten seconds?
On a less dismal note, we had about 30 minutes of sun this morning, between the snow/drizzle/fog of the last two weeks, and the upcoming 3 day blizzard starting this afternoon.
As Eric Idle once said, "Always look on the bright side of life!"
T.
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